Motorcycle rentals in Frankfurt?

That's why I quit drinking. It helps to pay 'em.

 

Even I don't drink that much.

 

FWIW, last year I did ~160 miles/day, almost none on autobahns, and
all I did was eat, sleep, and ride. I average ~350/day at home.

I think that's wildly optimistic. If you stay off the autobahn, those
are IronButt hours, at the least.
Forget Milan - urban jungle.

 

I concede to the locally experienced in the crowd.

Really? I'm seeing mileage numbers of 150-300 kilometers per day via
Google Maps. That's just crusing miles. I've gone further for lunch
around here. Worst case, I jump on a fast road to do a couple hours.

The route I planned was less than 1300 miles for 7 days. That's about
170 miles/day. Throw one hour of autobahns per day in the mix and it
seems do-able.

What's a good local stopping point in northern Italy?

 

$:

hop over the Brenner Pass from Innsbruck into the Aldige Tirol. Lake Garda
is a favourite of mine. Malcesine is the best town IMV.

 

It is when you're cruising. If the route involves twenty miles of non-
stop hairpins and switchbacks (and I mean non-stop) you're going to slow
down a bit.

 

I agree. You won't see much of either Innsbruck or Salzburg in one day. If
you want to tour the Alps do that. Leave city tours for another trip.
Salzburg is worth a long weekend by itself.

The distance from Salzburg to Innsbruck isn't far by the most direct route
but you won't see much as it follows the Inn valley for much of the
distance. You need to climb out of there to get the best scenery and roads.

If you are going to Austria then ride the Grossglockner, one of the iconic
passes. It's a better ride and has better scenery than the Stelvio IMV.

 

Bad form and all re-replying:

I just finished the download and install of my Garmin Euro maps. You
sir, are absolutely spot on. Revisions and decisions being reversed.
<g> I think seven days to go down to Innsbruck for a day, ride the
Stelvio Pass and head back up thru Switzerland is a much more sound
decision. When you get better road details, the decisions are much
easier. I was going to kill myself! That may change lower even more
as I plot and plan.

 

Marked in Garmin as a must do. Route 107 past the Zeller See, correct?
Stelvio is on there too.

 

yes, 107

be aware that some Austrian passes have a toll - Grossglockner is 19 Euros

some Austrian hotels issue you with a free tourist card that get you over
the passes toll free. This place in Malta, Austria
http://www.hochalmspitze.com/ certainly issues the tourist card and is
highly recommended. It's quite cheap at 48 Euros per night for half board
(breakfast & evening meal included) and not too far from Grossglockner. I
could happily spend a week based there and do circular tours around Austria
and south into Italy & Slovenia.

 

I went to book a room there and they're full up. Life (and planning) goes on.

 

I suppose they would be for June. John has been making it known on various
forums that the Grossglockner is already open, quite a bit earlier than
usual due to the early Spring in Europe

 

Probably more sensible. If, on the other hand, you do end up in
Salzburg, try and find time to detour to the Konigsee.
http://www.colinandpat.co.uk/Holidays/Hol2008/Images/konigseereflections.jpg

 

Well, I think I have a bike arranged. It's sitting at Stefan Knopf's
and the owner just contacted me. It's a BMW R1100RSL. That would be
just peachy with me.

 

We were just discussing that in another section. The motels are all
booked up.

 

are you looking for rooms in Schönau am Königssee rather than Konigsee
which is a city up north?

www.booking.com is my favourite site for hotels in the Alps. It throws
up everything from 5* to simple Gasthof for 20 euros a night.

Pension Gregory has rooms for some dates in June - just 28 euros a night
5km from the lake
http://www.booking.com/hotel/de/pen...6-15;srfid=4dc1e6f399bec3c706aef3a4b7d90af5X1
http://tinyurl.com/pensiongregory

 

The confirmation emails from booking.com import directly into the little
marvel that is Tripit. Which is nice.

 

Pfft.

WPS is much better

 

Around 1.40/liter. One imperial gallon is about 4.5 liters. I'll check
the price today. Arcor/Ibis type places can be had for 50 euros/night.
Scoff would account for 10-20 euros/day. So, say 30 petrol+50 kip+20
scoff+50 sundries. About 150 euros/day, so if I wanted to feel
comfortable, I budget 200 USD/day and figure I'd have plenty in reserve.
While I feel 150 USD is possible, you don't have a lot of margin.

I'm 35 klicks south of Frankfurt if your in the area.

 

Alps. Cuckoo Clocks. Good.

Italy, Fucked up roads. Italians. Bad.

Water. Sausages. Beer. Good.

Thats a bit fucked.

I'd skip Italy. From Salzburg head for the Bodensee and the for
Friburg, that puts you in the southern Blackforest around Titisee.
Bloody nice area. From there I'd just bimble back north through the forest.